Hame-fastener.



No. 643,932. Patented Feb. 20, I900. T. BELLERSON.

HAME FAS TENEB.

(Application filed July 3, 1899.) (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE BELLERSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HAM E-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,932, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed July 3, 1899. Serial No. 722,741. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE BELLERsoN, of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in flame-Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to hame-fasteners; and it consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a collar with the hames in position thereon, which hames are provided with my improved hame-fastener. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my improved hame-fastener, the same being partially in section.

In the construction of my improved hamefastener I make use ofa metallic bar or plate 1, curved to fit the under side of the collar, the outer end of which plate is formed into a hook 2, and integral with the opposite end of said plate is a downwardly-pending rectangular box or casing 3, in the upper portions of the ends of which are formed the rectangular openings 4:, closely fitting plate 5.

' Arranged to move through these openings 4 is a curved plate 5, the same being provided with a plurality of notches or ratchet-teeth 6 in its under side, one end of said plate 5 being fashioned into a hook 7, (a counterpart of the hook 2,) and the opposite end of said plate 5 is formed into a larger hook 8 or handhold, said plate 5 and hook or handhold 8 being held in place and guided by the hook 2.

Pivotally held within the casing 3 is a springactuated detent 9, the point of which engages the notches or ratchet-teeth 6, and said detent is provided with a downwardly-pending finger-hold 10, which passes through an aperture 11, formed in the bottom of the casing 3, and integral with the lower right-hand corner of said casing 3 is a downwardly-pending finger-hold 12, the same being curved in opposition to the finger-hold 10.

When my improved hame-fastener is in use, it is placed in the usual position at the lower end of the collar, and the ring on the end of one of the hames is engaged in the hook 2, while the ring of the opposite hame is engaged in the hook 7, and to secure and tightly fasten said hames in the desired position the operator engages the hook 8 and pulls upon the same, this movement drawing the notched plate 5 through the apertures in the casing 3 until the hames are securely fastened, and at the completion of the movement of the notched plate 5 the point of the detent 9 will engage in one of the ratchet-teeth and securely retain the same against a reverse movement.

To unfasten the device, the operator merely engages the depending finger-holds 10 and 11 between the thumb and finger of one hand and by slight pressure disengages the point of the detent 9 from the notch in which it has been positioned, and after so doing the curved plate 5 is free to move through the openings in the casing 3 to loosen the hames. The curved plate 5, having the long arm and large handhold 8, performs the double function of aiding in fastening the hames in the desired position and as a lever giving a free handhold and a purchase, which addgreatly to the efficiency and ready operation of the device. Said plate 5 acts through the closelyfitting openings 4 inside the box or casing 3 and rests against and is-held in position by the hook 2 of the other of said plates, thus reducing to a minimum the friction and play of the plate 5. The box or casing 3 is closed, giving the spring-actuated detent 1O protection against dust, water, and weather, which cannot but add materially to the efiiciency and durability of the device when in use. The width of the casing 3 and the operation of the plate 5 through the openings 4 make the strain come on the plate 5 at the points where it passes through said openings 4 and not on the detent 10, thus making said detent 10 operate readily, regardless of the strain on the plates 1 and 5.

In a hame-fastener of my improved construction but two main parts or pieces are employed, the device can be instantly positioned for use, the hames can be very tightly fastened, and no straps or chains are made use of, which straps and chains very often break or become inoperative.

I claim- 1. A device of the class described, comprising a plate, a hook integral with one end thereof and having at its opposite end and integral therewith a downwardly-pending, closed, rectangular box or casing, in the upper portions of the ends of which are rectangular openings, a second curved plate operating through said casing and held in place by it and supported and guided by the arm and hook of the other of said mentioned plates and being provided with a small hook on one end, a long arm and a larger hook or handheld at the opposite end and having a plurality of notches in the under side of said second-mentioned plate, and means within the casing for engaging said notched plate,

substantially as specified.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a pair of plates, one of which has a hook on one end, the opposite one of which is provided with a hook at one end and a larger THEODORE BELLERSON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. LONGAN, M. P. SMITH. 

